| Clients “The
greatest challenge of any instructor is to find an effective way
to verbally communicate “feeling” to someone who may be learning
concept for the first time. When I teach, my most satisfying
moments are when I can find the right words or the best analogy
to enable students to understand how to ride the nuances of a
half-halt or a movement. I know I’ve accomplished my goals as an
instructor when my students become capable of understanding and
applying these nuances, with their horse understanding what they
want, on their own."
Clients:
Melanie Pai
 Melanie Pai is the founder and owner of Canaan Ranch, a dressage
breeding and training facility near Houston, TX (
http://www.canaanranch.net).
The daughter of a medical doctor who also bred Quarter Horses,
Melanie has an excellent eye for spotting sport horse breeding
and performance prospects. Her horses have won in hand and
under saddle titles from the local to the national level.
Dedicated to advancing the sport of dressage in America, her
ultimate goal is to see the United States represented in
international competition by Elizabeth Poulin on a Canaan Ranch
horse. Picture above:
Melanie Pai's stallion "Donates' and Elizabeth in
the awards ceremony at the 2007 USEF/Markel Young Dressage Horse
National Championships.
Students:
Young Riders:
Jamie Gillespie
 Jamie Gillispie, a Pensacola, Florida native, is a junior at the
University of West Florida majoring in Marketing. She began
riding and showing at the age of seven. Initially showing in a
variety of disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, eventing as
well as dressage, she soon realized that dressage was her true
passion. Enter Palladio. "Pal" is a 16 year old Westfalen
Warmblood by Paradox 1 who more than lives up to his nickname,
and he Jamie quickly formed a close partnership. Not only did
they win the team bronze medal at the 2007 North American Young
Riders Championship, but Pal also helped Jamie earn her USDF
Bronze and Silver medals this year. Jamie plans to show Pal
through the Intermediate level with the goal of participating in
the Brentina Cup.
Picture above: Jamie Gillespie at the 2007 NAJYRC, Awards
ceremonies,Team Bronze Medal.
Adult students:
Noel Lewandos
Noel owns Manassas, a.k.a. “Molly”, an Oldenburg Percheron mare.
Her goals for herself are to develop a better seat and become a
more effective rider, so that she can stay one step ahead of her
talented but opinionated partner. “There is always something new
to learn!” Her goals for her horse include gaining showring
experience. This year, Elizabeth rode Molly to success at first
level and will likely move her up to second level in 2008.
“Elizabeth has completely changed my horse by developing the
qualities I knew were there, but that previous trainers did not
see”.
Terry Lim Horsch
Terry rides her Appendix Quarter Horse mare named Topofarbeck
(“Beck”) and did not start seriously riding until 2003. As a
rider, Terry’s goals are simple. “I want to learn to more
correctly use my seat, legs and hands. I want the scuff marks on
my boots to be in the right places!” However, she has lofty
goals for herself and plans to show in the future. “Elizabeth
makes you think. She allows you to absorb and process concepts
while in the saddle and to experiment with those concepts a
little. She doesn’t overwhelm you with too much information;
rather she builds as you figure things out.”
Teresa Simmons
 Teresa Simmons and her 2 boys, Matthias and Supermann,
accomplished a major goal in 2007- the USDF’s Bronze Medal.
Teresa, who began riding at the age of 43, rode her final ride
after the clinics Elizabeth gave in the Pensacola area. She will
be working with Elizabeth this winter with Supermann in
Wellington, FL in preparation for her next goal: the USDF silver
medal! Picture above: Teresa
Simmons and "Her Boys" at their lovely farm in Alabama.
Jennifer Lucitti
Jennifer Lucitti rides her Anglo Trakehner mare, Amistad. In
2006, she not only received her USDF Bronze Medal, she and her
mare earned the GAIG/USED Third Level Amateur Championship in
addition to the Houston Dressage Society year end Third Level
Amateur Championship. This year, the pair earned the GAIG/USDF
Fourth Level Amateur Reserve Championship. “I work crazy hours
with my job and ride a small horse with average gaits. Elizabeth
is really talented in drawing out the best in both of us without
overfacing either of us. We’ve improved tremendously since
working with her.”
Patty Holien
Patty Holien is a multi-disciplinary rider. She originally
trained and showed her Paint gelding A Real Cool Bud (“Buddy”)
for Western classes. She took dressage lessons to improve her
seat for Western Pleasure and recently began riding dressage
‘full time’ to develop the engagement of her horse. In 2007, she
started working with Elizabeth. “I was impressed with
Elizabeth’s riding at shows and also with the progress made by a
friend who had been working with her. That was clear evidence of
knowledgeable instruction and training”. In her first year of
showing, Patty and Buddy earned their first blue ribbon, plus a
handful of reds and yellows, at Training Level. They plan to
move up to First Level next year.
|
